Police chief ‘convinced’ of paedophilia allegations against former UK PM

Wiltshire chief constable Mike Veale believes the allegations as “totally convincing”, and he plans to publish a report in June.

The Wiltshire police has been carrying out a large-scale probe into allegations made against late Sir Edward Health and has identified more than 30 alleged victims,(Reuters file)

The police chief investigating reports of child sexual abuse by former British prime minister late Sir Edward Heath reportedly believes the allegations are “120% genuine”.

Wiltshire chief constable Mike Veale believes the allegations as “totally convincing”, and he plans to publish a report in June, The Mail on Sunday reported citing sources.

The Wiltshire police has been carrying out a large-scale probe into allegations made against Sir Edward and has identified more than 30 alleged victims, the report said.

A source has said there are a large number of allegations which were “strikingly similar” and come from individuals not known to one another.

“The same names used for him, the same places and same type of incidents keep coming up. What stands out is that the people giving these accounts are not connected but the stories and the details dovetail. It contains disturbing stuff. Investigators have been shocked by what they have learned,” a source told the newspaper.

Veale’s report, the newspaper said, would detail how the claims are “totally convincing” and would justify his decision to persist with the £700,000 investigation. In December, Veale had defended the investigation and said it was not a “witch hunt”.

However, the allegations that Sir Edward was involved in satanic orgies have been dismissed as fantasy by an expert asked to review the case.

One of his former armed protection officers had previously dismissed the idea that Sir Edward could have abused youngsters because he was watched around the clock by police. The allegations were also said to be ludicrous because Sir Edward did not have a car and used a driver to get to wherever he went.

But detectives have established, citing photographic evidence, that he did have a car as well as a driving licence, and did drive.

He bought a Rover 2000 after being deposed as Tory leader by Margaret Thatcher in 1975, when he was 58, The Mail on Sunday reported.